


The Dragon and the Bard

by chancellorxofxtrash



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! GX
Genre: Beauty and the Beast Elements, Dragon kissing, Fairy Tale Elements, Fairy Tale Retellings, Fubuki is a Bard, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Ryo is a Dragon, they fall in love
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-21
Updated: 2020-10-21
Packaged: 2021-03-09 04:53:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,248
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27138277
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chancellorxofxtrash/pseuds/chancellorxofxtrash
Summary: Fubuki's sister is a valiant knight - and he usually accompanies her on her quests and sings songs about her heroics, as fitting to a bard. This time, she is travelling to slay a dreadful dragon, but as soon as Fubuki lays eyes on the creature living in the castle, he feels an irresistible need to get to know him. And somehow, he actually manages to convince her to give this idea a chance.What follows is... a tale as old as time.
Relationships: Marufuji Ryou | Zane Truesdale/Tenjouin Fubuki | Atticus Rhodes
Comments: 12
Kudos: 19





	The Dragon and the Bard

**Author's Note:**

  * For [BlizzardPrince](https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlizzardPrince/gifts).



> This couldn't have been born without Jean and our brainstorm/rp sessions so once again, dedicated to him. Here u go Jean

Asuka Tenjoin was one of the most well-known and strongest knights in the kingdom - she had protected the people and the lands from numerous threats, people whispered her name in awe.

So when the news reached her about a castle up in the mountains - so high up it was extremely hard to get close to, so dangerous that most people could turn back even after starting…

And when she heard just  _ what  _ lives there, she had to go.

Many knights had perished in those dangerous mountains - they were covered with dense forests still despite the horrible weather, as if there was magic keeping them in place.

The mountains did not make sense, and the castle didn’t make sense - just like the being in it did not make sense either.

Just like Asuka’s traveling companion didn’t make sense either when she started to travel towards the mountains.

“Brother, this is a dangerous mission. You should not have come along.”

Her brother was grinning while walking alongside him, clutching a lute in his hands.

“Ah… I heard a magnificent beast lives there in that castle. A dragon! Aren’t you excited to see it?”

“It’s a  _ dangerous  _ beast, brother.”

“It is very rare an artist like me can see such beauty and danger in one… maybe watching your battle with the beast I will be inspired! Or maybe the beast will strung on my lant’s strings even more, and…”

“Please, brother, don’t get in the way.”

To be fair, Fubuki was not the type to get in the way - but he loved to accompany his sister on her quests, and then came back with songs he could sing about her adventures, spreading the word of the strong knight who was as beautiful as her blade was sharp.

Asuka did not like these songs much, but Fubuki thought she deserved all of them.

So even now, the two of them were braving the dangerous mountain together, as they usually did, until they reached the castle.

The castle was… huge.

It was not as big as the king’s castle, and definitely not as ornate, but the pitch-black walls were  _ high, _ much higher than anything they had seen on their travels. The castle had no doors, and the windows seemed gapingly empty - like nobody lived there, but on the walls there were huge scratches on the stone.

Probably from the knights who previously tried to scale the huge walls, but met a grisly end.

Or maybe… from something sharper.

The entire castle was threatening, with all sharp edges and dark walls, and scrapes on the stone - a clear signal of  _ stay away. _

“Huh. Doesn’t look like he gets out much.”

“I do not know,” Asuka admitted. “I just know many knights came here, and most of them never returned.”

Then there was a movement on top of the walls, and what Fubuki saw, took his breath away.

The first thing he saw was the sun’s light reflecting off of something- and then the glint moved.

And when Fubuki’s eyes focused on what the moving figure was, he felt his breath be taken away.

It was wings.

A pair of huge, iridescent wings with sharp, dark edges - and the figure who had the wings caught Fubuki’s breath even more.

Even from down there, it was obvious he was tall, and moved on two legs - he had hair, dark and sticking everywhere, but it seemed like he had shining scales on his skin.

He was absolutely beautiful, and Fubuki wanted to see him from up close.

Asuka moved forward, and Fubuki grabbed her arm instinctively.

“...brother, I had faced dangerous situations before. I can face a dragon.”

“I know about that, but… look at him.”

Fubuki could not tear his eyes away from the dragon, and Asuka followed his line of sight, as the figure disappeared behind the walls again.

“I… see a dragon.”

“A lonely beast, pacing the walls,” Fubuki nodded. “Doesn’t seem particularly aggressive, does he?”

“He doesn’t know we are here.”

“He doesn’t leave a lot, does he? And look at this… it’s like it’s deliberately designed to keep others out,” Fubuki let Asuka’s arm go, and he felt his heart drop. “He’s trying to scare people away.”

“...he is killing knights, brother.”

“Knights, who come here, wanting to kill him,” Fubuki pointed out. “If someone would storm into our home, sword pointing at us, wouldn’t you kill them?”

Asuka looked at him, an unreadable expression on her face.

“So what do you suggest we do? Just leave him here?”

“Did anyone try to talk to him?”

“I don’t know.”

“Then probably not! Let me try!”

“It is possible that people tried, he just killed them all, so there was no one to tell stories about it.”

“Then let me try!”

Asuka sighed, as she looked back at Fubuki, with worry in her eyes.

“You want me to sit back as you risk your life and for what? To talk with a dangerous dragon?”

“Yes!” Fubuki said cheerfully, before sighing a little. “Besides…” Fubuki could not help smiling. “He is the most beautiful creature I have ever seen.”

“...you can’t be serious!”

“I am!” He insisted, taking Asuka’s hands between his hands. “Please, dear Asuka. Let me try talking to him! Maybe… maybe we will understand then why is he doing what he does.”

Asuka looked at him, and sighed again.

“As you wish. Go, and woo the dragon, then. I will be nearby.”

~*~

The castle was dark and empty, and Fubuki could have no idea where the dragon could have been inside - so he sat down, put his lute into his lap, and started to play.

He played and sang - sang about ancient times. Times when beings could be more free and more unrestricted, where magic was everywhere on the land.

He sang about adventures and old heroes who truly did not hurt anyone, and helped whoever needed help.

He sang, and in one of the dark windows, he saw a glint - a pair of blue, softly glowing eyes, fixed on him from the window.

Fubuki felt his heart beat in his throat, but did not stop singing - and then the dragon disappeared again.

When it grew dark, Fubuki withdrew to the forest, and Asuka led him back to a nearby town where they rented a room for themselves.

The townsfolk were surprised they arrived back alive.

_ We need to scout the area more,  _ Asuka had said, and Fubuki could not forget those glowing eyes.

~*~

They climbed the mountain for a few more days, and Fubuki would sing, and sometimes he would see those glowing eyes look at him.

Fubuki wanted to talk to him so badly, but he couldn’t rush it.

He couldn’t.

He had to be patient, no matter how much he wanted to call out for him… not yet.

Not yet.

So Fubuki kept singing.

Until one day, when Fubuki was singing about faraway lands of mystery and magic, the dragon did not appear in the window.

He appeared on top of the wall, walking out - his wings spread, and Fubuki could take a better look at him.

He was tall, obviously tall, sharp horns emerging from his hair that was sticking everywhere, and his body mostly covered with dark scales shimmering in the sunlight. Behind him, he dragged something… a tail? Probably, it was hard to see from the sharp edges of the castle wall.

But his wings, his beautiful, glittering wings with sharp-looking edges,  _ those  _ Fubuki could see. And he could see his eyes fixated on Fubuki, as he looked down on him, and Fubuki stopped playing.

“Hi there! Aren’t you going to come down to say hello?”

He heard himself say it, and he definitely hoped it wasn’t obvious from his voice that his heart was beating in his throat.

For a bit, it was silent, as the dragon looked down at him, and then…

“...hello.”

The dragon’s voice was deep, and Fubuki took a sharp breath.

Okay. He was making progress.

He could do this.

“You are still up there, though!” He said, teasing, and he didn’t expect anything to happen.

He really didn’t.

But the dragon just looked around, as if wary… and then spread his wings, and pushed himself off from the wall.

He landed in front of Fubuki, and he landed so elegantly, and he expected a bigger gush of wind from his wings, which didn’t come. But then the dragon straightened his back, and Fubuki realised just how much  _ taller  _ he was.

He was tall, and indeed had a long, shining,  _ sharp _ tail behind him - his hands and arms all covered in scales and long claws… almost like talons, and from up close, Fubuki could see that his eyes had slit pupils.

He was  _ breathtaking. _

“I… uh… here you are! Do you… do you have a name?”

The dragon looked at him curiously, as if still trying to figure out how serious Fubuki is.

“...Ryo.”

When the dragon spoke, Fubuki could see how sharp his teeth were, but somehow, he was barely even paying attention to it - only to the name.

“Ryo,” Fubuki repeated it. “It’s… a very nice name.”  _ Beautiful, even.  _ “I’m Fubuki!”

Ryo nodded slowly, and didn’t say anything else.

Fubuki clutched his lute to his chest, and found it hard to say the words.

“...you are really a sight to behold, you know. Especially from this close. I wonder if I…”

Fubuki raised a hand, slowly reaching out to Ryo’s face.

Ryo didn’t move, and it felt like time had stopped.

But when Fubuki’s fingers touched Ryo’s face, Ryo suddenly spread his wings, and pushed himself off the ground, back to his castle. The sudden wind that was started by his wings made Fubuki lose his balance a bit, and when he looked up again, Ryo was gone.

~*~

“That… brother, I have no words about how stupid you are. Have you seen his teeth? He could have bitten your arm off!”

“...I think I scared him. You think I scared him?”

“He is a huge dragon with sharp teeth and claws. I don’t think you scared him.”

“Aaaah, I might have freaked him out a bit… I was too bold… yes, tomorrow I must apologise to him!”

“Are you even listening to me?”

“I just need to find the best song to apologise to him with…”

~*~

So the next day, Fubuki sang about grief and guilt - of sorrow and pain. Actually the song was about a sailor’s wife who had a fight with her husband before he left, and felt guilty about it, because what if the waves will swallow him?

But it was a very touching song about guilt and asking for forgiveness, and so Fubuki picked that song.

He almost thought that Ryo wouldn’t come outside, but then…

Then he walked up to the castle wall again, eyes fixed on Fubuki.

“Ah… Hello again!”

Silence, before Ryo spoke up.

“I liked yesterday’s song better.”

It was almost… clumsy the way Ryo said that.

It was endearing, and made Fubuki’s heart flutter.

“Oh, alright. I will play it for you again, then,” Fubuki smiled up at Ryo. “If you come down. Promise I won’t touch again!”

And Ryo spread his wings, pushing himself off the wall again, once again landing in front of Fubuki - and just sat down on the ground, his bright, reptilian eyes fixed on Fubuki.

Fubuki never had stage fright, but now, having this gorgeous dragon look at him with  _ those  _ eyes, made him extremely self-conscious about the way his fingers were moving on his lute.

But then he just sat down in front of Ryo, and played yesterday’s song.

~*~

He kept going back, and Ryo kept coming down from the walls, sitting down in front of him, listening, and talking.

Usually about places Fubuki had seen travelling, or Ryo had seen, when he moved out of the castle more.

Fubuki mentioned his sister he was proud of, and Ryo was quiet, looking away - he had a brother, he said softly. A younger brother, way smaller than Ryo was.

Fubuki asked him if he also lived in the castle and Ryo’s  _ no  _ was sharp, sharper than any words Ryo had ever said before, so Fubuki didn’t ask again.

He knew what it was like, being worried for a younger sibling, even if Asuka didn’t need her big brother’s protection whatsoever.

So he just switched topics, and he saw the tension leave Ryo’s frame, as if a wave of relief had washed over him.

~*~

“I’m leaving,” Asuka had said one day, when Fubuki was about to walk up the mountain again. “I will return in some time to check on you… I hope you won’t do anything stupid. And I…” Asuka hesitated. “I will try to make sure other knights don’t come.”

And then Asuka was gone, and Fubuki walked the mountain alone.

He even stopped staying at the inn - he travelled a lot, so he had a tent and supplies to set up to stay up on the mountain, close to the castle.

It was not the most comfortable - and the forest around the castle was still full of wild animals, even if usually they were probably too afraid to come close to the dragon’s lair… one could never know.

But it was alright.

He got to be close to Ryo, and not even the gathering dark clouds in the sky could discourage him.

Until the storm struck that night, that is.

The storm was violent, especially up there on the mountains, and it ripped up his tent, sending it flying, and Fubuki could barely see anything - only the flashes of thunder illuminated the darkness.

The trees bending to the violent winds, the cold rain on his skin, the dark, dark castle.

And on top of the castle, in the next thunderstrike, there was a figure with huge wings. 

Next thing Fubuki knew, he was lifted off from his feet, and he was  _ flying -  _ he was carried in Ryo’s arms, and his huge wings carried them with ease even in the violent storm, and Fubuki couldn’t hear anything but his own speeding heartbeat.

~*~

“What were you even doing up here?”

Ryo was angry.

Fubuki had never seen him angry before.

They were inside now, but Fubuki couldn’t look around - there were some candles lit in the area they were in - and Ryo’s eyes were glowing in the darkness, his face frozen in an angry expression.

“I… was trying to sleep?”

“There is a storm. The forest is dangerous, especially at night,” Ryo said, his eyes narrowing. “You put yourself in danger.”

Fubuki looked at Ryo, who turned away his head a little, his entire form tense, and then the realization hit him.

“...were you worried for me?”

Silence. Ryo looked back at him, his glowing eyes meeting Fubuki’s.

“I did not want you to be hurt.”

Fubuki smiled - he wanted to reach out, to gently touch Ryo’s arm, those beautiful, scaled arms of his, but Ryo already looked so tense, so Fubuki just smiled.

“Hey… I’m fine. You saved me.”

Ryo saved him.

Carried him in his arms, so gently - Fubuki looked at his hands, and the long talons, and…

He didn’t feel them at all when Ryo got him into his arms. Even now, as the rush had passed, he was sure he would have felt some pain, if those sharp claws had hurt him, but there was no pain - he just started to feel a bit cold, being completely soaked.

The tension disappeared from Ryo a bit, as he stepped away.

“You are welcome to look around in my castle. The weather is still harsh - so you can stay.”

It almost felt like there was another meaning behind Ryo’s words.

~*~

The castle was huge from the inside too - fitting, to accomodate Ryo’s size, he figured. Fubuki walked forward, and he heard some scraping sound - and he glanced back, he saw Ryo walking behind him, dragging his long tail behind him, and his huge wings also scraping the floor. Probably even the talons on his legs were leaving marks.

The floor and even the walls were full of scrape marks.

Everything about Ryo was so sharp, but he could not forget the strong, yet still gentle way he held Fubuki in his arms when he brought him inside.

The castle itself was surprisingly cozy and well-maintained. None of the furniture was too scratched up, Ryo obviously took good care of this place, despite living there all alone.

Fubuki briefly wondered where his little brother was.

He didn’t ask - and eventually he reached a room that was  _ full. _

It was full of a lot of ornate furniture and a lot of silver, shimmering trinkets, all gently placed all around. They were all beautiful, shining, and…

Of course.

A dragon usually has a hoard.

He usually heard of golden hoards, but it seemed like Ryo liked silver’s colour better.

“Want to look around?”

Fubuki nodded.

And Ryo was moving between the treasures with ease - somehow his wings or tail did not knock anything over.

Makes sense, Fubuki figured - Ryo probably knew this place as the back of his hand.

And he would show off his treasures, talk about them - he knew  _ so much _ of the history of each peace, and there was a light in Ryo’s eyes as he talked about his treasures, and Fubuki could barely pay attention to anything else.

He also noticed that despite Ryo’s talons on his hands none of the treasures were dented.

When Ryo raised a chalice, Fubuki decided to take his chance.

He extended his hands towards Ryo.

“May I?”

Ryo looked at him, with surprise in his eyes - and then he just reached out the chalice. Fubuki took it, gently - his fingers brushing over Ryo’s scaled hands, and he could see as if Ryo had… shuddered?

His scales were surprisingly soft, and Fubuki did not look away from Ryo’s eyes, as he held the chalice in his hands now.

“Thank you. It’s… beautiful. Everything is.”

Ryo’s mouth dropped a bit open - his sharp teeth glinting, and Fubuki gently put the chalice back to its place.

“Your scales. They are soft… I thought they were sharp like your wings or tail. And I like the colour of it - I see you seem to like silver, but… I prefer your colours.”

“...is that truly what you think of me?”

Ryo’s voice was so low, as if he barely believed the question itself, and Fubuki felt his chest ache.

_ How many people have told you otherwise? _

“From the moment I saw you, I thought you were the most beautiful being I had ever seen.”

_ I will just have to say this to you a lot, then, to balance it out. _

Ryo had looked a bit taken aback, before shaking his head.

“Most people run away from me, or try to kill me.”

Fubuki put the chalice back to its place before carefully reaching out - and Ryo allowed him to take his clawed hands between his own hands - and both of his hands were  _ so soft. _

“I don’t see any reason to be afraid of you.”

Ryo was quiet, looking at their joined hands, and Fubuki asked, hesitating, his heart beating in his throat.

“What about you? Are you wary of me?”

“...no. I don’t think you have it in you to trick me for this long.”

“Ah!” Fubuki perked up a little. “Is that what you thought?”

“You had a knight accompanying you for a while,” Ryo shook his head, and Fubuki’s heart sank. “Besides it would not be the silliest way anyone had tried to kill me.”

“...you saw her and didn’t attack us?”

“...you didn’t attack.”

_ He waited,  _ Fubuki realised.  _ Even after all the attempts, he still waited if Asuka would strike him down or not. _

“...you don’t really want to hurt anyone, do you?”

“I hurt anyone who tries to hurt me or anyone who is important to me,” Ryo said simply. “I do what needs to be done, and won’t be heartbroken about it later. I am not as gentle as you think I am. I simply wish humans would leave me alone.”

“What about me?” Fubuki heard himself say before he could stop himself. “Would you rather if I left you alone?”

Ryo looked back up at him, their eyes meeting.

“...I enjoy your company.”

Fubuki could not stop himself from smiling at him brightly.

“And I enjoy yours.”

Fubuki gently raised Ryo’s hands to his face - and Ryo curled his fingers, to keep his talons away from Fubuki, as he pressed a kiss to Ryo’s hands.

There was silence, and Fubuki let out a shudder of breath - Ryo still did not pull his hands away.

“It’s okay. I know you won’t hurt me. You hadn’t so far. You carried me inside and all.”

“You are right - I don’t want to hurt you.”

“And what if I… want you to touch me?”

Once again, his words were faster than Fubuki’s brain - but Ryo was so close to him still and he really,  _ really  _ was not thinking about his words at all.

Ryo hesitated - then his fingers uncurled, and he raised his hands, to gently, oh, so,  _ so gently,  _ as if he was handling one of his treasures, he put his hands on Fubuki’s face.

His touch was so soft, but still there was a roughness and undeniable  _ strength,  _ it sent a shiver down on Fubuki’s spine, and he just closed his eyes, enjoying Ryo’s closeness.

He put his own hands on Ryo’s arms - and the higher his touch went on Ryo’s arm, the scales were rougher and rougher, much more harsher, and yet, Fubuki did not mind.

They stood there like that for a few moments, and then Ryo pulled his hands back.

“Come on. You are still cold from the rain. You need to warm up.”

~*~

The castle was full of levers and different mechanisms, no doubt to make life easier for Ryo to move around - they were there to open the doors instead of handles, and pulling a lever actually ignited the fire in a fireplace, and Fubuki was sitting in front of it on the floor - the room was carpeted, and even though there were scratch marks on it here and there, Fubuki found it oddly comforting.

It was lived in.

It was Ryo’s place.

“I’m still kind of cold,” He said, glancing up at Ryo standing behind him. “You know what’s the best way to be warmed up?”

Ryo looked down at him, his eyes reflecting the fireplace’s light.

“I’m not exactly human.”

“I bet you are comfortable, though!’

Ryo shook his head a little but settled down, and put his arms around Fubuki, pulling him to his lap, and Fubuki was just… unable to think of anything else.

He could not think of anything else but the scales that were covering Ryo’s body touching  _ his  _ body, the clawed hands wrapped around him, the sharp tail around them, the wings casting a shadow over them.

Fubuki ran his fingers over one of Ryo’s arms - his scales that were getting rougher and rougher, the sharp edges - he reached up Ryo’s hair, and his hair was so soft, but then his hand found his horn and once again it was so rough and sharp.

And Ryo let him.

“You are truly… beautiful.”

Fubuki was breathing the words, as his hand slid back down to Ryo’s face, and their eyes found each other.

“You keep calling me that.”

“Because it’s true. I mean it. The most beautiful creature I had ever seen.”

Ryo still held Fubuki with one hand, and then just raised his other, to gently, so, so  _ gently _ he could run his fingers over Fubuki’s face - his thumb resting over Fubuki’s lower lip, and he could feel the sharp talon over his face, and yet, Ryo was not hurting him.

Ryo was not going to hurt him.

Fubuki was absolutely sure of this.

“You walked in here,” Ryo said in a low voice. “Don’t you know dragons get possessive over that they care for?”

“If you mean me, I don’t mind.”

“What will happen when your sister comes back?”

“She will understand,” Fubuki whispered. “I’m sure I can get her to understand. And then nobody will ever hurt you anymore.”

Ryo pulled his thumb away - and Fubuki pushed himself up, kissing him.

Kissing Ryo was like it sent shivers all over his body, and Ryo kissed him back - and Fubuki found himself melting to his touch, even when Ryo gently put him down on his back, and Ryo was  _ heavy,  _ because he was so much  _ bigger _ than Fubuki, and his tail curled around them, his wings covering them, and Fubuki couldn't care less, at all.

~*~

The castle had no doors, and the windows made it look like it was empty, but Fubuki knew that behind these dark, scratched, sharp walls were a lot of warm candles, intricate mechanisms, and a beautiful dragon walking these hallways, and Fubuki enjoyed his company like no other.

Ryo did promise to introduce him to his little brother, but first, first Fubuki had to wait.

He had to wait for Asuka to come back, so he could tell her - it will be fine. He will be fine.

There is no need to send knights here.

Just leave them alone, on their mountain, in the middle of the dangerous forest.

And then everyone can live happily ever after.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading!


End file.
